Archive for Appropriations
The voters had it right on CHIP
Posted by:By Representative Chuck Hunter
Healthy Montana Kids, the plan to insure 30,000 Montana children, is in trouble and needs your help. Senate Republicans - notably Dave Lewis - have spent the last week dismantling the program voters approved. Children need your help to reverse their actions.
When Montanans voted on Nov. 4, 70 percent of them said yes to the Healthy Montana Kids plan. They said yes to setting aside dedicated money - about $20 million per year - that could only be used for covering more children. That $20 million will be matched by about $80 million in federal dollars when the plan is implemented as written.
Voters also said yes to insuring 30,000 more kids than are currently covered by Medicaid and CHIP. The funding provided by Healthy Montana Kids would do what the Legislature has been reluctant to do - cover more of Montana’s uninsured children. Read More→
CHIP funding battle wages on
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
Within the next week, the Legislature must settle a partisan battle over funding Healthy Montana Kids, the expansion of children’s health-insurance approved by voters last November.
Most Republicans in the Legislature want to fund a program smaller than what voters overwhelmingly approved in Initiative 155. GOP senators have amended their version into budget bills before the Legislature.
Democrats, including Gov. Brian Schweitzer, are insisting the Legislature fully fund I-155, and say the GOP plan will forego some $50 million in federal funding for health insurance, leaving 14,000 kids uncovered. Read More→
Stimulus bill passes in the House
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
The bill to spend Montana’s $880 million share of federal economic stimulus money sailed through the House Thursday, but not without warnings from conservative Republicans about “the demise of the republic” brought on by excessive government spending.
The House voted 64-33 in favor of House Bill 645, which is packed with one-time spending on highways, water projects, school buildings and a host of other programs, meant to jolt the economy and help those hurt by the country’s economic slowdown. Read More→
Key panel approves stimulus measure
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
Capping more than a week of marathon committee sessions and one-on-one negotiations among its members, a key legislative panel Tuesday approved the bill outlining how to spend Montana’s $870 million share of federal economic “stimulus” money. The final product, headed for the House floor on Thursday, rearranged $75 million of discretionary spending in the bill, directing it at everything from schools to city building projects to investment in state historical sites. ”We wanted to stay true to the principles of the (federal bill),” said Rep. Jon Sesso, D-Butte, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “We wanted to put money on the ground to create jobs. That was pervasive to every discussion.” Read More→
Tax credit for working poor gains House’s OK
Posted by:By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
With bipartisan support, the Montana House Wednesday tentatively approved a tax credit aimed at poor, working families. It marks the first time a bill providing a state earned income tax credit has passed a Montana legislative chamber.
House Bill 360, by Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, won debate-stage approval by 65-35. It was sent to the House Appropriations Committee for review because of its estimated cost of $27.5 million a year, starting in fiscal 2010. Caferro pegged the cost at $24 million. Read More→
"I think that it’s going to all work out, with the changes that we have agreed to. It’s not as much (spending for some programs) as I would’ve hoped, but apparently it’s more than other people wanted. As usual, we are trying to find the middle.” 
"[On term limits:] You empower the executive, you empower the lobbyists and that's not good for the system because then we lose what the citizen Legislature brings.” 